Category: Superbikes

1. THE 2015 SUPERBIKE SEASON OPENS UP WITH TWO DAYS OF TESTING AT PHILLIP ISLAND

   Posted on 12:01pm Tuesday 17th Feb 2015

   LEON HASLAM AND JORDI TORRES ARE HARD AT WORK GETTING READY FOR THE RACES THIS WEEKEND.

   EXCELLENT THIRD BEST TIME FOR THE ROOKIE, FIFTH FOR LEON HASLAM

   Phillip Island (Australia), 17 February 2015 – The Superbike 2015 season opened up as usual with two days of testing on the Phillip Island track where the first two races of the season will be held on Sunday. These were two essential days of testing for the Aprilia Racing – Red Devils team following a winter break where the two new riders astride the RSV4 world champion bike often ran into unfavourable weather conditions. But yesterday and today Leon Haslam and Jordi Torres were able to get quite a bit of work done together with their respective teams to gain familiarity with the Superbike from Noale and explore all the possible settings.

   The thirty-one year old English rider took on these tests focusing particularly on tyre wear, a vitally important factor for the races here at Phillip Island. In fact, the long sweeping turns and the fast nature of the track require specific consideration of this aspect, both in terms of setup and riding style. At the end of the two days Haslam expressed his satisfaction with the work done in this area, well aware of the fact that there will be time on Friday and Saturday to take full advantage of his Aprilia RSV4's full potential.

   
   Leon Haslam: “Another positive day. This morning we tried a lot of new things over a long run and this afternoon we focused on fine tuning everything, testing more new changes without pushing to the limit to try and find our best lap time. I'm pleased with the job we did during these two days and I'm confident for the first race weekend. We still have the Friday and Saturday practice sessions which we will use to further improve some aspects of the setup and the electronics, but I'm confident that we will be very competitive in the races.”

   For rookie Jordi Torres, making his début in the category, the two days of testing were also quite positive. The Spaniard improved lap by lap, increasing his familiarity with the RSV4 and working a lot on finding the best riding style for this type of bike. On a fast and demanding track like Phillip Island Torres ended the two days with the third best time (fastest lap 1’30.971) despite having lapped on used tyres for most of the sessions. This is an important calling card just a few hours from his first World Superbike race weekend. He also had a crash about an hour before the tests ended. After a highside on turn 11 Jordi suffered a slight abrasion to a finger, but nothing that will compromise his race.
   
   Jordi Torres: “At the end of the day I'm satisfied, even if there are still a lot of aspects I need to understand better, such as the braking sections or the “tight” ride this bike requires. The RSV4 rides well, the team works great and I don't think that even the crash today will create any big problems in terms of confidence. It was a shame to have to stop the tests early because there were still a few important things to try in order to further adapt my riding style to the bike. We need to continue working like this in order to improve lap by lap.”

2. THE FIRST THREE DAYS OF 2015 TESTING COME TO AN END

   Posted on 9:52am Saturday 7th Feb 2015

   The Aprilia RS-GP project makes its début

   Romano Albesiano: "In order to grow we need to get into the mix with our rivals right away in race conditions, bearing in mind the difficulties that such a demanding new project will inevitably face"

   Fausto Gresini: "Bautista's performance is positive. Melandri needs to adapt to a completely new technical situation, but we are confident"

   Sepang (Malaysia), 6 February 2015 – The first three days of MotoGP 2015 testing have just come to an end at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia.

   Essential information was drawn from the "three days" of testing for the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini. The new RS-GP showed good potential which now needs to be completely refined. Compared to the previous version, which was developed on a base that the Aprilia Racing Department knew very well, the changes are such to require further checks.

   Romano Albesiano, Aprilia Racing Manager had this to say about the first tests at Sepang: “I can confirm what I said yesterday. The initial results are definitely positive, considering the fact that the new RS-GP is taking its first steps and that Aprilia's return to MotoGP is a year ahead of schedule to fully develop the project during the course of the sport season. In order to grow we need to get into the mix with our rivals right away in race conditions, bearing in mind the difficulties that such a demanding new project will inevitably face."

   The Aprilia Racing Team Gresini is already looking toward the second round of tests, also scheduled at Sepang: "The next tests will certainly give us a clearer idea of our potential. These last few days we put the Aprilia bike on the track which will be the one we use this season and we collected an important amount of data that we will use to base our 2015 development on” added Romano Albesiano. "There were a lot of technical aspects to tackle, but that is quite normal considering the fact that this was the first shakedown. I'm sure we would feel less pressure if it were just us lapping on private tracks, but that wasn't Aprilia's intention."

   Fausto Gresini: “Considering the fact that the project is in its fledgling states and that right now we are obviously still not interested in lap times, I think that Bautista's performance over these three days was positive. Keep in mind also that Sepang is also one of the most demanding and difficult tracks of the championship. After testing the new Aprilia RS-GP Alvaro decided to go back and focus on the 2014 version which is giving him a better feeling at the moment. Along with the mechanics he worked quite a lot on both fronts to gather a large amount of data which will be used by the Aprilia Racing engineers to develop the technical package. As for Melandri, we knew that it would not be easy for him to get used to a completely new technical situation. Marco needs to adapt his riding style to this type of tyre and we know that takes time. We have confidence in him. The important thing is that he stays focused and determined.”

   Marco Melandri and Alvaro Bautista, the riders who have the task of developing the new Aprilia MotoGP project, worked hard over the last three days, assessing new material and conducting comparison tests with the previous version of the bike. While the only change for Alvaro is the bike, Marco on the other hand had to adapt to a brand new environment with a very different technical package compared to the one he had last year.

   Bautista stopped the clock with a best time of 2’01.924 out of a total of 157 laps, whereas Melandri took a total of 156 laps with his best one finishing at 2’03.641.

   Alvaro Bautista: “I'm quite pleased with these first three days of testing. The team worked well, giving me maximum support. On the first two days I conducted various comparisons between the bike used at the end of last year and the new RS-GP which, in any case, is still not giving me good sensations in terms of chassis performance. So on the last day I decided to focus on the 2014 version in order to gather as much data as possible and to allow the engineers to work in view of the next tests, scheduled at the end of the month. We worked a lot on the electronics and did various setup tests and I'm pleased with what we found. The important thing is that we know which areas need improvement. We gathered a lot of data so the result is positive. Aprilia is very committed. I'm confident for the next session.”

   Marco Melandri: “I admit that I was expecting a better début, but when we decided to take on this new adventure we knew that is would be a lot of hard work for us. I have to build a feeling with the bike completely from scratch. We need time and we need to think about what we found in these tests in order to improve as quickly as possible.”

3. Steve Parrish latest star confirmed for World GP Bike Legends

   Posted on 9:51am Saturday 7th Feb 2015

   Grand Prix podium finisher and renowned personality ‘Stavros’ will take to the track at Jerez on 19-21 June to compete against the ever-growing list of Legends
   
   Fan-favourite Steve ‘Stavros’ Parrish will return to the race track for the first ever World GP Bike Legends – an unprecedented event that will see a huge collection of motorcycle racing stars donning their leathers to do battle at Jerez, Spain on 19-21 June.
   
   Parrish is a veteran of over 50 grands prix, scoring his best result of third place in France in 1982. Team-mate to one of the greatest legends of them all – the inimitable Barry Sheene – in his debut 1977 World Championship season, Parrish soon gained a reputation as a larger than life character in the paddock, and he’s sure to be the source of plenty of entertainment when he’s reunited with his old accomplices at Jerez in June.
   
   “I think what the guys are putting together at Jerez could be something very special,” enthused Parrish. “It’s going to be great to blow off the cobwebs and actually race with everyone again. I can’t think of many better ways to spend a summer weekend than in Spain with your mates and some of the most amazing racing machines ever built – in fact the more I think about it the better it sounds! With live music and everything else on offer it’ll be a weekend to remember – I can smell the two stroke oil already...”
   
   Having gone on to win British Superbike and truck racing championships, Parrish is sure to be a contender in the ‘Race of Legends’ – a flat out contest between some of the sport’s biggest names aboard their original racing machines from the 1980s and 1990s. Already confirmed are former world champions Freddie Spencer, Wayne Gardner, Christian Sarron and Kevin Schwantz, with Didier de Radiguès and Graeme Crosby also signed up to compete.
   
   The weekend will feature 125cc, 250cc and 500cc classes with full practice, qualifying and races across the three days. These battles will be some of the highlights of the entertainment-filled event that includes not only a huge collection of racing icons but also live music from the likes of Bonnie Tyler and Toseland as well as an amazing shopping village and unparalleled access to grandstands, paddock and pits all included in the standard ticket price.
   
   There are currently significant early bird discounts on weekend tickets – with the full weekend price fixed at €55 until 31 March 2015. Tickets provide bike fans will full access to grandstands, race paddocks, the trade village and the live music concerts. For more information go to www.worldgpbikelegends.com

   Keep updated with all the news as it happens by following World GP Bike Legends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
   
   Photo caption: Steve Parrish will be racing a host of other legendary riders at Jerez on June 19-21

4. APRILIA-RED DEVILS WSBK - JEREZ TESTS

   Posted on 10:03am Sunday 1st Feb 2015

   A LOT OF LAPS AND GOOD SENSATIONS FOR THE APRILIA RSV4

   LEON HASLAM IS FIT AND READY FOR PHILLIP ISLAND, "ROOKIE" JORDI TORRES IS IMPROVING AND PLEASED

   Jerez (Spain), 27 January 2015 - The two days at Jerez de la Frontera for the Aprilia-Red Devils team were intense, with riders Leon Haslam and Jordi Torres busy with the final tests before the opening round of World Superbike 2015 which will be held in Australia on 22 February.

   Thanks to the decidedly fair weather, Leon and Jordi were able to complete a tight testing schedule, increasing their familiarity with the reigning World Champion bike, the Aprilia RSV4, lap by lap. Lap times were encouraging, but what really counts is that the range of possible adjustments was explored in terms of setup and electronics, gathering information which will be useful as the season develops.

   Leon Haslam, already fast at Portimão, confirmed his excellent condition. His harmony with a bike that is new to him is impressive, so much that the rider from Ealing was able to work on tyre wear, simulating race conditions. Haslam put in 148 laps, the best of which in 1’40.069. "We took a lot of laps today, more than anyone else. We analysed a lot of things and now I feel really good on the bike in terms of setup. In a race simulation toward the end of the testing we were able to find a good speed and I gained confidence, even managing to improve on my best time using a soft tyre. That has always been a problem for me, putting the qualifier tyre to good use is another reason for us to be pleased with these tests. Phillip Island is a track that I like and apparently it suits my Aprilia well, so we'll definitely be optimistic going into our first race."

   The "rookie", Jordi Torres, showed significant progress compared to the previous tests. Determined to do well in his rookie World Superbike year, the twenty-seven year old Spaniard took full advantage of the two days he had, lapping consistently (169 times around the track by the end of the tests) and stopping the clock at 1'41.983 on his best lap. He also did a lot of work with used tyres and reported a decidedly positive feeling.

   Jordi Torres: "I'm pleased with the way things went. We were able to try a lot of things. The bike is easy to ride, that's my first impression, even if I still don't feel like I'm at 100%, especially when braking in the middle of a turn. There are still a lot of things I need to figure out, but I'll be heading to Phillip Island confidently, especially since we did a good job with race tyres. We could have shaved off a few more tenths of a second, maybe testing the qualifier tyre, but overall I'm quite pleased."

   Six-time World Champion Max Biaggi was also in the Aprilia garage at Jerez, with Michael Laverty working alongside him as a test rider. Biaggi made excellent progress, topped off with a best time of 1'41.9 in race simulation.

   Max Biaggi: "At the beginning of these tests I had a bit of trouble getting back into the groove, but that's normal after a long break. Little by little I began to feel more comfortable with the bike and my times began to show it, so as a result my enthusiasm also increased because I'm always happy to be in the saddle. I'm happy that we were able to complete the testing schedule. That's what I'm here for and I adapted willingly to the Team's needs. We are all quite pleased with this return 3 years after my last time around the track on a Superbike. In the future I expect to put in some faster laps so I can give accurate indications in “race” mode."

5. FIAMM OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF THE ALTHEA RACING TEAM

   Posted on 1:34pm Saturday 31st Jan 2015

   FOR SUPERBIKE AND SUPERSTOCK 1000 CHAMPIONSHIPS

   2015 - 2016

    

   The partnership with the Althea Racing Team presented in the Montecchio Maggiore headquarters

   FIAMM top management, the pilots, and the Althea Racing General Manager all present.

   Montecchio Maggiore, 30 January 2015 – The partnership between FIAMM, the leading company in the automotive component sector and energy systems, and the Althea Racing Team, a prestigious Italian motorcycling team and four-time winner of the Superbike and Superstock World Championships, was presented to the press.

   FIAMM will be the official sponsor of the Althea Racing Team for the 2015 -2016 seasons, both in the Fim World Championship Superbike and in the Fim Cup Superstock 1000.

   Superbike-class riders Matteo Baiocco and Nicolas Terol, as well as Superstock 1000-class riders Raffaele De Rosa and Luca Salvadori were also present at the event. The former are veterans of the Jerez de la Frontera test, where they obtained excellent results in view of the first race of the season to be held on Phillip Island next 22 February.

   The event conducted by sports journalists Giovanni di Pillo and Gian Luca dall’Ara was also attended by FIAMM CEO, Stefano Dolcetta, FIAMM Executive Vice President Market & Product Reserve & Mobility Power Solutions, Nicolò Gasparin, and Althea Racing Team patron, Genesio Bevilacqua.

   FIAMM will sponsor the Althea Team and its brand will be present on the motorbike fairing, on the riders' racing suits and their clothing, on the team vehicles used for transport, on the outside walls of the box and Hospitality booth, and on everything regarding communications.

   “FIAMM has always believed in motorsports as a vehicle for promoting its brand and image in both Italian and foreign markets,” affirms Stefano Dolcetta, CEO of FIAMM.

   “I remember our commitment during the 1980’s and ‘90s in the Formula One of Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, and Michele Alboreto, but even the epic deeds of the Group B Rallies where Audi, Lancia, and the Superbike competed with the reds of Borgo Panigale, winning on circuits worldwide. More recently, we sponsored Peugeot, the multi-champion of Italia Rally, and supported the Ferrari Challenge."

   In light of this constant interest in the world of racing motorcycles, two years ago FIAMM decided to invest in becoming a leader of the motor sports.

   “For us, Superbike represents the ultimate vehicle,” explains Nicolò Gasparin, FIAMM Executive Vice President Market & Product Reserve & Mobility Power Solutions, “above all since this type of motorcycle derives from the series and is therefore very similar to products that the public can buy and equip with FIAMM products.

   We made contact with Althea as soon as 2012 and today we firmly believe in the Team’s potential.”

   "I am truly grateful for the trust that FIAMM has placed in our team,” shares Genesio Bevilacqua, General Manager of Althea, “and I am honoured to bring to the track an Italian brand that has accompanied so many riders and teams in its long history.

   The FIAMM Group, founded in 1942, produces and distributes accumulators for automobile ignitions and industrial use (UPS, energy reserves) and acoustic signals (automobile horns and sirens). The group is now present in 60 countries with about 3300 employees worldwide and about 1200 in Italy. The 2014 turnover amounted to a value of 560 million Euro. The main markets served are Italy (26%) and the rest of Europe (51%), where direct sales to auto manufacturers (BMW, Fiat-Chrysler, Ford, Mercedes, GM-Opel, PSA, Renault-Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen, Jaguar, Ferrari, Maserati) represent about 30% of the turnover.